Wine and Cycle Lights

Rear Ever Ready Light.
A perfect wine glass (nearly)

What has Wine got to do with Cycle Lights?

It was a cycling trip in Normandy that reminded me of lights. On a cold dark winter's night they are an essential – in more ways than one.

It was a cold November evening and the youth hostel was found closed and locked up. We were hungry and tired but thankfully a small local store was still open for sustenance – red wine, a baguette, cheese and some beans.

With nowhere to stay we cycled into the countryside and found a convenient bus shelter for the night. As the temperature dropped the wine became an essential comfort, but how to drink and maintain some elements of decorum as befits the Englishman on a bike in France?

The old Ever Ready lights came to the rescue. By taking off the red lens and removing the bulb and reflector you had a perfect wine glass. Thus replenished with wine, the bread, cheese and cold beans from the tin we slept on the concrete floor – soundly would be a bit of an exaggeration but at least we slept.

THE MORAL
Both Wine and Lights are part of life's essentials

__________________________

Now a more  SERIOUS Bit...

Nights are starting to draw in and with the darker evenings don't get caught out without good cycle lights on your bike, you never know how useful they can be, not just for wine but also for being seen and for those ever increasing number of potholes – which seem deliberately placed to test cycle handling skills!

Unfortunately the official cycle lighting regulations are not just a minefield but also totally confusing.

At their simplest, a cycle needs to have both good working front and rear lights together with reflectors, during the hours of darkness. The Highway Code is clear on that.

Highway Code Rule 60
At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85). White front reflectors and spoke reflectors will also help you to be seen. Flashing lights are permitted but it is recommended that cyclists who are riding in areas without street lighting use a steady front lamp.

Note that these lights need to be fixed to the bike. Any lights on bags, the head, clothing, etc are additional. 'Hours of darkness' refer to sunset and sunrise which are different to lighting up times which motor vehicles have to comply with.
Beyond that the regulations start to get much more complicated.

Just keep to the above and all will be well, but if you are a masochist for rules and regulations read on.

--------

Let's see what lights are available.

Never before has there been such a range, which can be bewildering to anyone looking for a good lighting set. Technology has advanced massively over recent years. Memories of a couple of U2 batteries rattling in a heavy Ever Ready lamp held on by straps and packed with pieces of cardboard are thankfully distant as are those of the cold bus shelter floor.

FRONT
These fall into two main uses, those for use in street-lit areas and those for full darkness, so make sure you use one suitable for your needs.
What I would certainly not recommend is skimping on price as there has been an influx of cheap and very bright rechargeable lights from the Far East available via obscure dealers online. There have been some scary reports of exploding batteries causing fires – I have first hand experience as one exploded in my kitchen.
A good steady front light is best. Flashing lights can have a place in built up areas but on lanes they can very much distract.

REAR
Again buy good quality but avoid the gimmicks. There is a plethora of rechargeables, sometimes using removeable cells, sometimes charged via USB. There is even an LED light that senses your braking acting as a brake light and even one that incorporates a rear facing video camera.
There are also flashing gloves, helmets and even coats, all of which are usually gimmicks. What you must have a a good red light, steady or flashing; most do both.

BATTERY OR DYNAMO
These days both can be good. The old fashioned dynamo wheels that rub (and slip) noisily on tyres have largely been replaced by the development of very efficient hub dynamo systems. Some of these incorporate stand lights that remain on for a short time for when waiting at junctions or traffic lights. Others may even include charging options for mobile phones or battery packs while you ride.

EXTRA LIGHTS
Additional lights can be added to clothes, bags but they must still comply with white to the front and red to the rear - and as a quirk triangle reflectors are not allowed – they are reserved for use on trailers. Note that these lights are 'additional' – it is still a requirement to have those fixed to the cycle itself as detailed above.

---------------

And now it gets complicated.

Starting to get lost?
As an example, what is 'lighting up time' and what are the 'hours of darkness'? Just to confuse us they differ.
For cycles it is straight forward-ish; lights must be used from sunset to sunrise.
However drivers should use sidelights at least in this time but legally do not need to use headlights until 30 minutes AFTER sunset – which is termed 'hours of darkness'. Starting to get confused?

It goes on...

Those Standards
Your front light needs to be white central or offside and up to 1500mm above the ground. Steady lights must be BS6102/3 or equivalent EC standard.
Rear lights need to be fixed central or offside between 350mm and 1500mm from the ground. and again steady lights should be marked BS3648 or BS6102/3 or equivalent EC standard.
To make things even more difficult most lights available are not marked but despite this they exceed the British Standards by a long long way! So which do the more savvy cyclists use? Its not difficult to guess.
Since 2005 lights can be flashing but the BS standards don't apply, only the output standards - at least 4 candela and flashing between 60 and 240 times a minute.

The minefield gets worse! Why are pedals being mentioned?
Let's consider pedals. These should have amber reflectors, to the front and rear of each pedal, and marked BS6102/2, but try fitting these to clipless pedals if you use them. However if your bike was manufactured before October 1985 pedal reflectors are not required. And what about bikes that have been custom built with components from various years?
How is the date determined?
Answers on a postcard.

Oh dear. I fear a headache is coming on – perhaps a glass of wine may help.
Pass the rear light please – it makes a good glass.